Best Pikler Triangles for Your Child in 2023

The Pikler Triangle, also known as the Pikler Climber or the Montessori Climber, was developed by the Hungarian pediatrician, Dr. Emmi Pikler. It is designed to encourage infants and toddlers to gain gross motor skills at their own pace.

Widely used by the Montessori community, this climbing triangle is an excellent tool for young children's development. While there are many options on the market, there are some key characteristics to consider when choosing the best Pikler triangles for your family.

You don't just want a safe one, but it's also high-quality. This is one of the most popular and most engaging Montessori toys. Through extensive research, we pinpointed those key features and found the best Pikler triangles on the market - and they're listed below!

There are five main things to consider before investing in the pikler triangle.

1. Size

Where are you going to place the pikler triangle? How much floor space do you have compared to what it will take up? How tall is the pikler triangle, and how long do you think you will use it?

Having height makes a big difference, and you don't want anything shorter than 30-33″. We can quickly toss the blanket over our pikler triangle, and you can comfortably sit under the blanket with your baby, so at least measure the height you need so you can sit in it too.

2. Price

Pikler climbing triangles don't come cheap - but they last a lot and last for years! With that said, pay attention to the "hidden prices" if you want to. Is there a shipping cost? Does it come with a ladder/slide, or is there an extra charge?

3. Attachments

At a minimum, most parents choose ladders/slopes associated with a pikler triangle. However, you can also get excellent attachments and add-ons. I've seen some families choose two mini pikler triangles and use the ramp to attach the structures. Likewise, some families choose a pikler triangle and a climbing arch and use a ramp to connect the two. The former is preferred for small spaces as every pikler triangle I've seen is adjustable and foldable, while a climbing arch will always take up the same amount of space in a room.

There are also many different ramp styles you can get. For example, we have spiral ladders, stone wall ladders, and rope ladders.

If you choose a pikler triangle from one brand and a ramp from another, just make sure it connects securely to the pikler triangle AND that the width of the ramp still has room to climb to the side. In other words: cross-check the width of the pikler triangle with the width of the ramp!

4. Safety

Although the pikler triangle is generally considered safe, it is still a climbing structure and children should be supervised on it at all times.

Pikler triangles are usually made of wood and bolts, so the bolts may fall out and pose a choking hazard and a safety hazard from somersaults. As with all children's toys, you always want to check them regularly for signs of wear and tear.

Finally, the pikler triangle is made of unfinished wood - which obviously leaves some concern about splinters or debris. For this reason, I tend to stay away from the Amazon pikler triangle as the reviews tend to be a bit more pessimistic about the wood quality and it looks like the retailers are just starting a new seller account to avoid being cheated. 

With all that said, it's good to look for any safety certifications the brand may have for added peace of mind.

5. Indoor or outdoor pikler triangle

Since most pikler triangles are made of wood, they're not really meant to be used as long-term outdoor climbing gyms. With that said, you can certainly move any pikler triangle outdoors on a clear day. If you want to keep your pikler triangle outdoors, even under overhangs where it will be exposed to "the elements", we recommend using a non-toxic waterproofing agent and recommend this label because they will give you all the tips you need to stick a Pikler triangle!